He really is a douche sometimes.

“You’ll need hiking boots and sneakers,” he calls after me.

Both?

“How did you get in?” I ask as we head down to the garage in the elevator.

“Taylor.”

“Ah. That’s why we have no security following us.”

“Yep. I figured you were leaving with me, so you’d be fine. Your man Taylor was reluctant, but I persuaded him.”

I nod, pleased. Being continually dogged by our close protection team has been wearing. Ana and I have been holed up at Escala for what feels like forever. Sawyer and Reynolds will keep an eye on her today, though. That’s non-negotiable.

“He’s been very helpful,” Elliot says.

“Who?”

“Taylor.” And with that he hides his sly smile and stops talking.

What does he have planned?

Elliot is in an ebullient mood. It’s catching. We’re cruising in his pickup north along I-5. “Where exactly are we going?” I ask, over the godawful yacht-rock blasting through the cab.

“Surprise,” he shouts. “Relax. It’s going to be fine.”

It’s too late to tell him I’m not a fan of surprises, so I sit back and enjoy the cityscape as we head out of Seattle. We haven’t spent any time together since we went mountain biking near Portland. That was a most interesting night…the first night I slept with Ana. The first night I slept with anyone! And Elliot fucked Ana’s best friend—but then Elliot has fucked many of the women with whom he’s come into contact. It’s not surprising, really; he’s good company. Easygoing. Good-looking, I suppose. Women flock to him, I’ll give him that. He puts them at ease.

He’s always been able to charm our mother. He knows how to treat Grace. I used to envy the easy way he’d spin her around the kitchen floor or hug her or give her a passing peck on her cheek.

He makes it look easy.

As yet, he shows no signs of settling down.

And if he does, I hope to God it’s not with Kavanagh.

I send a quick text to Ana.

No idea what Elliot has in mind.

This is not how I planned to spend the day.

Enjoy your shopping experience with Caroline Acton.

Missing you. x

ANA

Missing you, too. Love you. Ax

Elliot leaves I-5 for the 532.

“Camano Island?” I ask.

He winks at me, which is annoying. I check my watch, then my phone.

“Dude! What gives? She’ll be fine without you, for fuck’s sake. Show some dignity. I packed some snacks. I know how disagreeable you get without food.”

“Snacks? Where?”

He opens the car caddy, revealing subs, chips, and Coke. Ah, all of life’s pleasures…if you’re Elliot.

“Nutritious,” I mutter dryly.

“It’s all good stuff, bro. Quit complaining. This is your bachelor party.”

I laugh, because chips and Coke is not my idea of a good time. Subs, on the other hand…I smirk at my little private joke and reach for a can of Coke.

About five miles into Camano Island, Elliot turns right. We drive through a farm gate into an open pasture, along a track, and up to a barn, where he pulls into a parking lot.

“We’re here.”

“Where is here?”

“Friend’s place. It’s not open to the public yet. But it will be soon. We’re guinea pigs.”

“What?”

“Well, I figured marriage is pretty much a high-wire activity. I thought you should get some practice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We’re going zip-lining.” He grins and clambers out of the car.

This! This is my bachelor party? It is not what I was expecting. But hey, zip-lining could be fun.

Elliot greets our hosts, and we’re directed into the barn, where a series of hooks hold the safety equipment: hard hats, harnesses, straps, and carabiners. It all looks reassuringly familiar.

“Hey, hotshot, these harnesses are damned freaky. We could get up to some kinky shit in these,” Elliot blurts as he slips his on. And for once I’m at a complete loss as to what to say.

Does he know?

Are the tips of my ears red?

Shit! Has Ana talked to Kate?

Elliot looks his usual guileless self, so I assume not, because if he knew, he’d have razzed the shit of me. “You’re an idiot. This is like a chute,” I reply. Distraction is the best policy. “Got a new sailplane last week. You should come out to Ephrata for a day and we can take her up.”

“For two?”

“Yep.”

“That would be super cool.”

We’re on the first platform surrounded by pine trees. “To infinity and beyond!” Elliot shouts and leaps off, with all the fearlessness that I associate with his devil-may-fucking-care attitude. He whoops like a gorilla in heat as he whizzes down the line, his joy contagious. He lands surprisingly gracefully on the next platform, about one hundred feet away.

Danielle, one of our guides, radios ahead to say I’m set and clips my lifeline to the zip-line trolley. “Ready, Christian?” she asks with an overeager smile.

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Off you go.”

Taking a deep breath, I grab the carabiner beneath the trolley with one hand, my lifeline with the other, and I jump. I fly through the fresh, lush forest, the pulley whistling above me and the summer breeze on my face. I’m on a roller coaster without a car, sailing between the Douglas firs beneath a brilliant blue sky, and it’s thrilling and liberating in equal measure. I land safely on the platform beside Elliot and the other guide.